Kingdom of Aqatar
The Kingdom of Aqatar is a theocratic monarchy that reigns over the historic region of Aqatar, which is the homeland of the Orcs. Originally, it worshiped spirits as Orcs had done for millennia. This religious and cultural practice changed after the Aqatar Crusades, when the Eternal Empire had converted the Orcs en masse to Luceranity. History Historically, Aqatar is the homeland of the Orcs. Prior to recorded history, the region of Aqatar was known as a land of herdsmen and Orc tribes. Sometime after the Cimmerian Age had begun, however, the age of tribes had ended when some of the more sizable tribes had come into power, and vied for control over huge tracts of land. These wars and conflicts eventually resulted in the establishment of the Ancient Kingdom of Aqatar, which was ruled over by several different dynasties over its existence. Government The Kingdom of Aqatar is a theocratic, absolute monarchy. Originally it followed the Orc folk religion until after the Aqatar Crusades, when the Eternal Empire successfully converted the Orcish race to the religion of Luceranity. Afterwards, Luceranity's God became the transcendent head of state, and the Lumenicon became the ultimate authority. Beneath the absolute will of God, however, the structure was that of an autocratic monarch that presided over an empire. Padishah The Padishah, or Lord of Kings, is the ultimate moral authority throughout the Kingdom of Aqatar, as he is the inherited ruler of the region. The Padishah is seen as the embodiment of the kingdom, and is expected to represent Aqatar's culture and spirituality. Prior to the conversion to Luceranity, the House of Souphis was the dominant dynasty that dominated Aqatar. However, as that entire family had resisted the conversion by the Eternal Empire until their relinquishment of power, they were dethroned and royal family that embraced Luceranity was chosen to lead. The House of Kader was the Lucerian successor dynasty. The Divan The Divan, or Council of Viziers, is the council that operates directly under the authority of the Padishah, and is made up of his advisers and individuals placed into powers of central authority. Though the it is made almost entirely by advisers, they also act as government administrators and can operate and make legal decisions with the blessing of the Padishah. The council is composed of 8 viziers. 4 are directly chosen by the Padishah or the House of Kader, and 4 are chosen by Rayah to represent their interests. A Grand Vizier is either elected among themselves to preside over the Divan, or the Padishah chooses one if no vote has taken place. The Zoltan The Zoltan, or the Committee of Virtue, is the enforcement of religion in the Kingdom of Aqatar. It acts almost entirely separate from the Divan, and only answers to the Padishah. The role of the Zoltan is to enforce the virtues of Luceranity and to uphold the values and standards of Aqatari civilization. Heretics, apostates, witches, the particularly depraved, and pagans are all harshly persecuted by the Zoltan. The Zoltan mainly operates on the local level, but also serves active roles in defending all highly sacred sites throughout Aqatar, as well as protecting the House of Kader. Rayah The Rayah, or Provincial Councils, are the councils that preside over provinces under the control of the kingdom. They are religious leaders that also delegate politics for their provinces. They are not put into power by the population, but by a contrived system of self-election among themselves and from lower, local powers. Their purpose is to enforce the Lumenicon's teachings, the practice of Luceranity, the decrees made by the Padishah, and the rulings of the Divan. Whatever is not specified by the higher levels of power are decided by them. They usually work in tandem with the Zoltan to target anyone that opposes their judgments. Sharifa The Sharifa is any local system of governance within a province that directly engages with the people of Aqatar. The Sharifa is a religious and political council led by a sharif. In smaller towns or villages, they are the sole authority. In large cities, they either operate on level or second to dominant royal houses. They work side by side with the Zoltans, and do not have authority over them. Culture Aqatari culture is informed by a very long, distinct cultural history. Ancient Aqatar is the basis of much of modern Aqatar's culture and worldview. The overall culture of Aqatar, however, is described as being more collectivist than individualistic, as it is very much so focused on the spiritual aspects of life over the physical, and for this reason aims to promote virtue in good faith and prohibit sin. Personal freedom is very restricted in Aqatar for its unique worldview on spirituality, and thus its society could be viewed as very authoritarian and restrictive compared to the Federal Republic of Amadea and even the Eternal Empire. Besides its high spirituality, Orcs as a race are belligerent and favorable towards war. For this reason, Aqatar has had a long history of inner conflicts. Violent war games and death battles are also historically a part of Aqatari culture, though these practices have since been targeted by the House of Kader and the Zoltan, as it is seen as barbaric and reprehensible in Luceranity. The acceptance of Luceranity as the new religion for Orcs has also led to a gradual decline in their racial aggression and tendency towards violence. Before the conversion to Luceranity, Aqatar had a very long history of spirit worship going back to the shrouded history of Cimmerian Aqatar. The Orcish folk religion was a polytheistic view of the world, where notable spirit gods controlled the important aspects of nature. The head god in this religion was Sahar, the god of the sun. Below him were the moon deities Mahrukh and Amru. Several other deities were also accepted. Polygamy Despite Aqatar being converted into Luceranity, the practice of polygamy and harems are still very prominent throughout the kingdom. Almost all of the royal houses, even the House of Kader, have harems of wives, concubines, and consorts. The Eternal Empire has attempted to pressure Aqatar into doing away with this ancient custom, but the kingdom has yet to fold. Royal Houses The royal houses and clans in the Kingdom of Aqatar have existed for millennia, and have consolidated their power thoroughly, embedding themselves into the heart of society. The development of the houses occurred long before the rise of the royal dynasties that had ruled over Ancient Aqatar. The houses evolved from large herding tribes when Aqatar was nothing but desolate wasteland with good herding land spread far and between. Ancient Aqatar had come about during the Cimmerian Age, likely aided by manipulative shedim or spirits that aimed for mortal worship. After a decline in the society of Ancient Aqatar, the region fell apart into numerous kingdoms presided over by different royal houses. These kingdoms were eventually reunified through conquest and war by the House of Souphis, which had established the Kingdom of Aqatar. Geography The Kingdom of Aqatar is in the region of Aqatar, the home of the Orcs. Aqatar is an arid and mostly desert landscape, except for its coasts and specific locations, where tropical and exotic flora grow in abundance. Most of the inland of Aqatar is less densely populated than rivers and coasts, as mostly small towns and villages are found through the desert alongside major trade routes. The Antishar Sea geographically divides Aqatar from the Eternal Empire, and the Khyber Mountains along the eastern borders of the region separate it from the Far East. Provinces There are four provinces within the Kingdom of Aqatar, each headed by their own Rayah. City of Alzer The City of Alzer is the capital of the Kingdom of Aqatar, and is the largest city throughout the kingdom. It acts as its own province, though ti is not seen or categorized as one. It is where the House of Kader and the Kader Palace are located, and is a sacrosanct place in Orcish lore and Aqatari Luceranity. The population of Alzer is around 2.1 million. Kabira *Anhurmes (Provincial capital), Population: c. 1.1 million *An Rasul *Assameir *Reza Arafat *Sent (Provincial capital), Population: c. 729,380 *Chergan *Vecca, Population: c. 103,500 Sharah *Khor Asirah (Provincial capital), Population: c. 937,500 *Amsa *Anpiru *Samara Nisharis *Menkauhor (Provincial capital), Population: 377,200 *Anai Category:Country Category:Lore